Device for cleaning golf balls and similar articles



Dec. 15 1925. 1,565,414 I E. J. BYRNE DEVICE FOR CLEANING GOLF BALLS ANDSIMILAR ARTICLES 7 Filed NOV. 26, 1921 Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES EDMUND JOSEPH BYRNE, OF PICCADILLY, LONDON, ENGLAND.

DEVICE FOR CLEANING- GOLF BALLS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES.

Application filed November 26, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND JOSEPH BrnNn, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at 3 Albermarle Street, Piccadilly, in the county ofLondon,'England, have invented certain new and useful improvements in orRelating to Devices for Cleaning Golf Balls and Similar Articles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to devices for cleaning golf balls andsimilar articles of the kind comprising .a casing serving as areceptacleior a sponge or the like.

In accordance with the invention the casing is made of india rubber,preferably moulded to the desired shape, and is pro-- vided with anopening adapted to receive a lid or cover of such diameter as to fittightly in the said opening the resilience of the easingor the lidpermitting the latter to be inserted into and removed from position whenrequired.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the. opening in thecasing is provided with undercut or inwardly sloping walls and the edgesof the lid or cover are sloped or bevelled to correspond with those ofthe opening.

In another form of the invention the walls of the opening may be eitherstraight or bevelled and the lid or cover or a part thereof is made-ofgreater diameter. than that of the opening; "for instance, the lid maybe made, with a. resilient or. rigid body portion of a diameter to fitin the opening and provided with a flexible or resilient peripheralflange or flap integral with or attached thereto, the said flange orflap being adapted to lie beneath the under surface of the casing aroundthe opening, so that the pressure of the sponge or the like willmaintain the flange pressed against the casing and thus insure a liquidtight closure. If desired, the body portion may be provided with asecond flange or flap adapted to extend over the upper surface of thecasing around the open 1n In accordance with a further feature of theinvention means are provided whereby the lid remains always attached tothe casing.

so that when it isremoved from the opening there is no liability of itbeing lost. For this purpose on the upper surface of the lid a knob,projection, staple, ringor other similarmeans of attachment is provided.to'which Serial No, 517,924.

a tape, chain or the like may be attached, the other end of said tape orthe like being con nected to another knob, projection or equivalentdevice, integral with or secured to the casing. I

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect, the same will now be described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectionalview illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of a second embodiment.

Figure 3 isa similar view of a modification of the form shown in Figure2.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of a further modification of the golf ball cleaneraccording to this invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line VV of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is also a sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. 5, butillustrating the cover or lid removed from the casing with golf ballshown pressed against the sponge in the casing.

1 is the casing of india rubber which may be moulded to any suitableshape, the Walls preferably being made 01" suiiicient tliicknessthat thecasing willmaintain its shape and will not readily crumple when carriedin the users pocket. 2 represents a sponge or the like containedtherein, this sponge preferably when damp filling the interiorcof thecasing. In the form illustrated in Figure l thecasing is provided withan opening having inwardly sloping walls 3 and the said opening adaptedto be closed by the lid ewhich as shown is in the form or a circularplug or disc, the edges of which are bevelled to correspond with thoseof the opening, the lid being made of such diameter that it tits tightlyin the opening, the resilience of the rubber permitting it to be passedinto and removed from position when required. As will be apparent fromthe drawing, with this arrangement the pressure of the sponge will tendto make the closure more effective so that there is no liability ofleakage of liquid sometimes occurs with the devices at present used. Inthe form shown in Figure 2 the walls of the opening and thecorresponding part of the lid are straight. The lid is, provided at itslower part with a peripheral flange or flap 5, the flexibility orresilience of which permits the lid to be passed through the opening. Inthis form of the invention the pressure of the sponge will cause theflange or flap to be pressed closely against the under surface of thecasing surrounding the opening thus main taining a liquid tight closure.

Figure 3 shows a modification of the lid illustrated in Figure 2. Asecond flange or flap 6 is provided in the upper part of the lid 1, thisflange or flap 6 extending over the uppersurface of the casing aroundthe opening. With this form of the invention it is not essential thatthe body portion of the lid should closely lit the opening since eitherthe flange 5 or flap 6 will ensure liquid tightness. In all the formsillus trated in the drawing the lid is provided with a knob orprojection 7 which may also be of rubber and may, if desired, be formedin the process of moulding the lid. To this knob or projection isattached a tape, cord, chain or the like 8, the other end of which isattached to a similar knob or projection formed on or carried by thecasing 1. Thus means are provided whereby the lid remains alwaysattached to the casing so that there is no liability of the lid beinglost when re moved from the opening. In lieu of the knobs or projectionsshown any suitable ring, staple, hook or equivalent device may beemployed. For example a small hole, strengthened if desired by aninsertion of canvas, may be formed in both the lid and the body toreceive an eyelet or a similar device to which the cord or the like maybe attached.

F 4-, 5 and 6 show a modification in which metal eyelets 10 and 11 areprovided.

in the lid 1- and easing 1 respectively, a

silken cord 8 or the like being passed through these eyelets andsuitably tied or secured to attach the lid to the casing. In thisexample the lid is formed with a flange 5 at its lower part, whichflange is adapted to bear against the inner surface of the casingsurrounding the hole in which the lid its as shown in 5'). The lid. isprovided with a central knob or projection 12 by means of which the lidcan be readily removed when it is desired to clean the golf ball.

In cleaning the golf ball which is represented. by the reference A inFig. (3 it is pressed against that portion of the sponge 2 exposedthrough the opening in the casing which held in one hand so that thegolf ball may be suitably moved or rotated by the other hand againsttire exposed portion of the sponge in order to clean the whole of theouter surfaces of the golf ball. It will be seen from Fig. 6 that thecord retains the lid on the casing so that there is no likelihood of thelid being detached and lost when removed from the opening. After thegolf ball has been cleaned in the manner aforesaid the lid is insertedin the opening in the casing and owing to its flexibility and theflexibility of the casing it can be readily tucked or passed through theopening so that the flange thereon bears against the inner surface ofthe casing around the said opening. The sponge serves to retain the lidin the closed position and by reason of the flange bearing against theinner surface around the said opening egress of moisture from the spongeis prevented.

lV hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is j l. A golf ball cleaning device comprising a casing offlexible material having an opening therein, a sponge closely fitting insaid casing with a portion of the same exposed through the said opening,a closing lid adapted to be fitted in said opening, and means on the lidadapted to engage the interior edge of the opening to produce aneffective closure due to the pressure of the sponge on the said lid.

a casing having an opening therein, a sponge closely fitting in saidcasing, a flexible lid adapted to fit in said opening, and a flange onthe lower part of the lid adapted to bear against the inner surface ofthe easing surrounding the said opening.

8. A golf ball cleaning device comprising a casing having an openingtherein, a sponge closely fitting in said casing, a flexible lid adaptedto fit in said opening and having a portion which is of greater diameterthan the outer part of the opening and a securing cord which secures thelid and easing against separation but enables the lid to be readilyinserted in or removed from said opening.

a. A golf ball cleaning device comprising a casing having an opening, asponge closely fitted in said casing, a flexible lid adapted to befitted in said opening and having a portion which is of larger diameterthan the diameter of the outer part of the opening, whereby said lidwhen fitted in said opening forms an overlapping joint with the casingand a. knob or projection on the outer surface of said lid.

5. A golf ball cleaning device comprising a substantial bowl-shapedcasing having an opening in the top thereof, a sponge in said casing, aflexibile lid adapted to fit in said opening and having an annularflange engaging said casing when the lid is inserted in the opening, andflexible means connecting the lid to the casing.

6. A golf ball cleaning device comprising a casing formed with anopening, a sponge fitted in said casing, a flexible lid detachablyfitted in said opening, means on said lid and said casing forming anoverlapping joint or 9L 2. A golf ball cleaning device comprisingclosure between the lid and casing, metal eyelets in said lid and casingand a securing cord loop in said eyelets.

7. A golf ball cleaning device, comprising a casing having an openingtherein, a sponge closely fitted in said casing, a flexible lid adaptedto fit in the said opening, a

flange on the lower part of said lid to bear against the inner surfaceof the casing surrounding the said opening, eyelets provided 10 in thesaid lid andthe casing, a securing cord tied through said eyelets and aknob or projection on the outer surface of said lid.

EDMUND JOSEPH BYRNE.

